Monday, April 26, 2004

Anti-war protestors are aiding the enemy

If any still actually believes that these demonstrations are "patriotic" and aren't causing any harm or demoralization, really need to pay better attention to the news. This from CNN:

Protest 'or Italian hostages die'
Monday, April 26, 2004 Posted: 12:29 PM EDT (1629 GMT)


(CNN) -- A militant group has threatened to kill three Italian hostages unless their countrymen demonstrate against the presence of Italian troops in Iraq, according to a video aired on an Arabic news channel.

Al-Arabiya said a group calling itself the Green Brigade released the video of three men sitting around a table eating. It said these are the remaining three Italian hostages. A fourth hostage, taken with the others on April 12, was executed.


What? You mean the terrorists LIKE the anti-war protests?


In a written statement the group released with the tape, it demanded Italian citizens organize demonstrations against the presence of Italian troops in Iraq.

The group gave Italians five days to organize the demonstrations. Otherwise, the statement said, the hostages would be killed.


Yup, looks like that's the case.

The news came as two U.S. soldiers were killed Monday in a massive explosion in northeastern Baghdad during a raid in which they were looking for a shop-owner suspected of producing "chemical munitions," a military spokesman said.


But I thought everyone knew Sadaam didn't have chemical weapons?


Some Iraqis celebrated after the blast, standing on top of damaged U.S. military Humvees and cheering.


The should be hunted down.

On the Italians, the militant group's statement, dated Sunday, said they were taken hostage because they were found spying in Iraq. On the videotape one of the alleged hostages speaks briefly in Italian, but it was not possible to determine what he said.

"We tell you we will show good faith and free them if you sympathize with our cause, show solidarity with us and publicly reject the policy of your prime minister by staging a big protest in your capital to protest against the war," said the group's statement.


If you sympathize with our cause?? In other words, if we switch to your side, you'll stop killing us? Hmm, that's a good idea. (/sarcasm off)


"We grant you five days after which we will kill them without any hesitation or any other warning."


I think you'll kill them anyway


The three hostages all appeared haggard with beards that had grown since they were abducted.


I wonder why

Their captors claim the hostages are intelligence officers. The Italian government said they work for private companies.

The killing of the first hostage, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, by Iraqi militants provoked shock in Italy as fears grew about the safety of foreign nationals working with the U.S.-led coalition.


And I suppose everyone thought we were going to pull of the ouster of Sadaam with a single casualty.


At the time, the militants who killed Quattrocchi threatened to execute the three other hostages unless Italy withdrew its 2,700 troops from Iraq.


And of course history has show that appeasement worked so well in the past (see WWII).


But Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has staunchly backed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, vowed that his videotaped execution would not affect his commitment to keep troops in the country.

"They have broken a life, they have not cracked our values and our desire for the peace," Berlusconi said in a statement.


Good for you!

The prime minister's office later sent a top diplomat to Iraq to try to secure the release of the three remaining Italians.


Why in the blue hell would you do this?


The killing of Quattrocchi united Italy -- at least temporarily -- where the majority of the population overwhelmingly opposed the center-right government's support for the war.


Good, it should have enraged the Italian people.

"We must not recall our troops because a band of assassins have demanded it," said Francesco Rutelli, leader of a center-left opposition party.

"The vile blackmail by a band of criminal kidnappers must not be given the dignity of a political response. Italy is and must remain unified and together."


Again, good for you. Well said. Let's see if they walk the walk.

The media also expressed outrage: "Shot in the neck in front of his own grave," said left-wing daily La Repubblica. "Horror in Iraq, one Italian hostage killed," Corriere della Sera said in a headline.


How much you wanna bet these same media folks are now creaming their pants in anticipation of these protests?


Foreign Minister Franco Frattini described how Quattrocchi was executed. "When the murderers were pointing a pistol at him, this man tried to take off his hood and shouted: 'Now I'm going to show you how an Italian dies'. And they killed him.

"He died a hero," Frattini said.


That's the way a soldier dies. I would like to believe that this would only strengthen the resolve of the Italian people. Sadly, that is probably not the case. If the Italian people capitulate to these terrorists and begin the demonstrations, the terrorists will have won. They will know that just as in Spain, they will have broken the spirits of the Italian people as well. In fact, the fashion in which to aforementioned Italian died is probably the reason these thugs are making these demands. My bet is that they were not prepared for his response just before he died. More likely they were waiting for him to beg for his life. I would like nothing more than to see the Italians united alongside us in the war on terror. Time will tell if they have the cajones for it. Sleep well friends, even if the U.S. is forced to stand alone, you can rest well knowing we have the greatest military on the face of the earth. We have the greatest people, and I believe the majority of Americans do have the cajones to do what it takes.